//putting global utility methods -- Harris

/* start of part maintained by Harris */

function isValidString(candidateText) {
	return (candidateText != null && (typeof candidateText == "string" || candidateText instanceof String))
}

function isValidNumber(candidateNumber) {
	return (candidateNumber != null && (typeof candidateNumber == "number" || candidateText instanceof Number))

}

function isValidObject(candidateObject) {
	return (candidateObject != null && (typeof candidateObject == "object" || candidateObject instanceof Object))

}
/* end of part maintained by Harris */